I’ll never forget the time I introduced a couple of my girlfriends to my one of my favorite desserts, an affogato. We walked into a little ice cream shop, and I read it on the menu board above the cashier and gasped, “They have affogatos!” To which they replied, “an affo-what?” Knowing that they both loved…
Desserts
How To Cut A Mango (Step-By-Step Photos)
If you’ve ever wondered how to cut a mango, you’re not alone. Not only does this tropical fruit have an odd shape, but they can be quite slippery and juicy too! Mangoes come in various shapes and sizes, but are typically oval or kidney-shaped which can leave you wondering about the easiest way to slice…
Homemade Coconut Ice Cream
I love a delicious dairy-free coconut ice cream. And it’s even more rich and creamy when you make it at home. This recipe starts with a simple dairy-free coconut ice cream made with canned coconut milk. There are also instructions for add-ons like pineapple and/or rum if you’d like to make it into a pina…
Croissant Bread Pudding
Banana Coffee Cake
This banana coffee cake will take your basic banana bread to the next level! With a crispy coconut crumble and sweet rum glaze, it is kinda like banana bread and rum cake blended into one delicious dessert. But since it’s banana coffee cake, you could certainly enjoy it for breakfast too. No judgment here. BANANA…
Chocolate Peppermint Marshmallows
I’ve been experimenting quite a bit with my original marshmallow recipe and decided to try it out with my favorite winter coffee drink — Chocolate Peppermint Marshmallows! They are perfect for dunking into your favorite cuppa coffee or cocoa, or just to nibble on their own. (You also might like these … Mocha Marshmallows) These…
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon Cream
I once made this cheesecake on Daytime … in under 4 minutes! Now, that being said … you actually need about 45 minutes to put it all together and another hour to bake it. But, if you’ve never made cheesecake before, don’t be intimidated. It’s actually quite easy. The hardest part is not eating all the creamy pumpkin-y batter right out of the bowl!
Welsh Gingerbread Recipe
Pumpkin Flan
With three different cultural backgrounds in our family (Puerto Rican, French Canadian, and Thai), our holiday dinner table is a global fusion of flavors. For the last few years, I’ve re-created my coconut flan recipe and turned it into a pumpkin flan to add a bit of autumnal spices for the fall and winter season….
Coffee Gelato Recipe
There’s nothing I love more than coffee, except maybe a biscotti with my coffee. Well … then there is coffee gelato with biscotti. Biscotti is actually short for “biscotti di Prato” meaning a twice-baked cake from the Italian city of Prato. While I’ve never been to Prato, if their claim to fame is biscotti and…
Chocolate Hazelnut (Nutella) Gelato Recipe
It’s been so hot this summer I found myself searching my own blog for Italian gelato flavors so make this sweet refreshing yummy Nutella flavored goodness … a chocolate hazelnut gelato recipe with step-by-step photo instructions. Walking through the streets of Rome, it’s easy to get lost. The roads twist and turn through moments of…
Gluten Free Carrot Cake
Homemade Marshmallows … from scratch!
Spiced Apple Bread With Walnuts
Key Lime Pie Marshmallow Recipe
Homemade marshmallows are easy to make, and this key lime pie marshmallow recipe is the perfect treat for key lime pie fans! Have you ever tried homemade marshmallows? Fair warning, once you have, you’ll never want store bought ones again. There’s a little more fluff, a lot more flavor, and they are really fun to…
Blueberry Peach Galette
This blueberry peach galette is my go-to dessert for bringing to summer barbecues. The word “galette” is French for any type of freeform crusty pastry (except in the case of the buckwheat pancakes in the Brittany region – but that’s a different story). I like to think of galettes as a lazy pie. They’re easy…
Almond Granita
When visiting sunny Sicily, having an almond granita is a must! You’ll find street carts and small cafes scooping granitas (semi-frozen dessert slushies) into cups with a small spoon and a straw. Granita is a lot like an Italian slurpee, a sweet slushy drink that’s much easier to sip than it is to eat —…
Tiramisu
One of the things I love about this tiramisu recipe is that it’s easy to make and quick to impress. And it makes for a fascinating dinner party conversation since tiramisu is one of those desserts with a mysterious origin story. Having been to Italy several times now, and doing a bit of research, it seems…
Mokkapalat – Finnish Mocha Brownies
If you’re a fan of chocolate, coffee, or anything mocha flavored, you’re going to love the Finnish dessert, mokkapalat. Similar to mocha brownies, Mokkapalat is a short, dense, chocolate cake with a rich mocha frosting. And the name mokkapalat translates to ‘suede pieces’ in English, which I think is quite fitting for the decadent texture and…
Mango Sticky Rice
Here’s an easy recipe to make mango sticky rice at home! Bring the sweet coconut milk soaked dessert of Chiang Mai right to your kitchen table. Everywhere you go in northern Thailand, from restaurants to small stalls at the night markets, you’ll find this sweet coconut milk soaked dessert. It is such a simple dish with…
Mocha Marshmallows
I’ve been on a bit of a kick of making homemade marshmallows lately, and this week it is mocha marshmallows. Can you think of a more perfect combination than caffeinated, chocolatey, fluffy sugar pillows? I’m surprised I hadn’t thought of making mocha marshmallows before as they seem to be the perfect quick energy bite needed…
Cherry Pecan Ice Cream
Tres Leches Cake
Coconut Flan
While spending a day in Old San Juan during our last cruise, we visited the famous Barrachina Restaurant. Not only is it the birthplace of the pina colada, but they also make a host of other Puerto Rican treats including tostones, sweet plantains, croquets, and coconut flan. Coconut is one of my favorite tropical fruits….
Earl Grey Creme Brûlée
Maduros “Sweet Plantains”
I grew up on Puerto Rican food. My step-father is from Ponce, so he introduced my mother and me to delicious homemade Puerto Rican meals like arroz con pollo (yellow saffron rice with chicken and peas), caramel flan (a sweet custard desert), pasteles (a sort of tamale stuffed with roast pork and steamed in banana…
Bitter & Blanc Bread Pudding
I love a good bread pudding recipe. Rich, warm, and comforting, it’s perfect for fall weather and these individually portion sized desserts are great for holiday entertaining too. Plus, if you have any left over they’re great with coffee in the morning. Who says you can’t have bread pudding for breakfast? This recipe below is…
Balinese Pumpkin Coconut Custard
Looking for an unique twist to a traditional pumpkin dessert? How about one with a creamy coconut twist. I usually associate pumpkins with autumnal spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg, recipes that comfort you on a cold winter day. So I didn’t expect to stumble upon them in tropical Southeast Asia. As it turns…
French Macarons
Ah, le macaron. If you’re looking for good French macaron recipe, you’ll find it here. My fascination with these delicate little cookies began while roaming the streets of Paris. I was lost somewhere around the Latin quarter, intentionally so. I must have walked miles that day exploring the city of romance and my tired feet…
Milk Tart
Milk Tart (melk tert in Afrikaans) is a popular South African dessert flavored with sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom. It has a custard-like texture, creamy flavor, and reminds me of sweet quiche in a flaky pie crust. I tried Milk Tart several times while traveling throughout South Africa, from fancy fine dining establishments to homemade versions…
Chocolate Whiskey Pudding
Vanilla Lavender Gelato
Melon Coolers with Honey Ginger Lime Marinade
We are experiencing quite the heat wave this summer. One step outside will have you feeling like you’ve walked into an oven or sauna. A summer so hot the devil himself is sweating. In an attempt to cool off, I’ve made several batches of homemade gelato, but was craving something a bit more healthy and refreshing …
Apple Crostata
I had lunch with my friend Jimmy recently where we were both talking about our marathon/half-marathon training schedules. I made the decision to make running a habit when I started baking and re-creating these fabulous (but sometimes fattening) breakfast recipes from Inns. Jimmy decided to start running when his roommate, Yvie, moved in. You see,…